The invention relates to a method and apparatus for manufacturing sheets of highly wear-resistant plastics material, particularly for the manufacture of covers or coatings which are subjected to abrasion, such as, for example, belts, straps, shoe soles, or the like.
In the past, products of this type were made particularly of leather. In the meantime, it has become known to manufacture these products of rubber, it being attempted to provide the rubber mixtures with a relatively high stability against abrasion.
However, it has been found that the resistance against abrasion of such rubber blanks is still not satisfactory. Also the raw material is relatively expensive, and blanks cut from such a material are therefore also expensive. It is understood that blanks of this type from leather are even more expensive.
It is the object of the invention to provide a method which makes possible the manufacture of sheets whose behavior, particularly with respect to suppleness, abrasion resistance, and inexpensiveness of production, is substantially improved over known sheets of rubber or leather. It is also an object of the invention to provide an appropriate apparatus for carrying out the method, as well as a shoe sole as a blank from such a sheet.